Kenya Lionesses prop Naomi Amuguni believes the national women’s rugby Sevens side still have a strong chance of finishing in the top four of the 2026 HSBC Division Two Sevens Series.
This is despite a challenging start in the opening leg staged in Nairobi. The forward, who plays in the front row wearing jersey number one, said the team has drawn valuable lessons from the Nairobi round. That was the first edition of the competition hosted in Kenya under the restructured World Rugby pathway.
“It was our first experience in the Nairobi edition introduced by World Rugby, and we have learned from our mistakes,” said Amuguni.
The Lionesses, coached by Simon Odongo, entered the series with strong credentials after their success in the World Rugby Challenger Series, where Kenya famously clinched the overall title during the final leg in Los Angeles.
The result helped elevate the team into the new Sevens' second-tier competition. Despite the setback in Nairobi, Amuguni insisted the Lionesses are not on the back foot, heading into the remaining legs of the series. “We are not just on our back foot. We still have a chance to get back into the top four, and that is our focus now,” she said.
Amuguni has been a consistent presence in the national sevens set-up and plays her club rugby for Impala Saracens Women in the Kenya Rugby Union women’s circuit.
She was part of the Lionesses squad that enjoyed a historic run in the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series, where Kenya won the overall title after a strong showing in the final leg in Los Angeles, helping the team secure promotion opportunities in the global Sevens pathway.
Known for her physical presence in scrums and breakdown contests, she has featured prominently in Kenya’s recent international outings, including the Safari Sevens in Nairobi and other international assignments such as Tunisia engagements and the newly introduced HSBC Division Two Sevens Series.
Her role in the pack has been key in providing stability in set pieces while also contributing to ball retention and defensive work. This came as the Lionesses pushed to maintain competitiveness against sides such as Argentina, China and South Africa on the international stage.
